Last updated March 2024
On the hunt for sensationally awesome Best War Movies 2016 ? See our compilation of 30 marvelous, universally beloved Best War Movies 2016 handpicked for your viewing pleasure. Critically celebrated by revered IMDB reviewers and widely adored by our own legion of savvy users, these world-class titles simply have no equal. Lend fellow viewers a hand by voting up the titles you feel are keepers. We appreciate your stellar contributions showcasing the finest entertainment available!
The Mountain II (2016)
Plot Summary:
In a desolate war zone where screams of the innocent echo, on the very line between disaster and valor, 7 Maroon Berets will dance with death
Duration: 135 min
IMDB Rating: 8.2/10
IMDB Votes: 110000
Genere: Action, Drama, War
Country: Turkey
Plot tags: terrorist, special forces, swat team, military, behind enemy lines, criminal, rescue, journalism, danger, dangerous mission, captivity, society, public execution, soldier, war, business, islam, muslim, isis, sniper, tank, heroes, journalist, map, book
Hacksaw Ridge (2016)
Plot Summary:
WWII American Army Medic Desmond T. Doss, who served during the Battle of Okinawa, refuses to kill people and becomes the first Conscientious Objector in American history to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor
Duration: 139 min
IMDB Rating: 8.1/10
IMDB Votes: 577000
Genere: Biography, Drama, History, War
Country: Australia, USA, UK, China
Plot tags: world war two, war, soldier, conscientious objector, religion, combat, american soldier, u.s. army, us military, bible, military, father son relationship, pacifism, u.s. military, survival, anti war, blood, pacifist, flashback, courage, physician, life & death, religious, biopic, church
In This Corner of the World (2016)
Plot Summary:
Newlywed Suzu Urano moves to her new life in Kure City on the coast of Hiroshima Prefecture, where she perseveres through World War II with pluck and determination
Duration: 129 min
IMDB Rating: 7.8/10
IMDB Votes: 12000
Genere: Animation, Drama, Family, History, War
Country: Japan
Plot tags: world war two, family relations, war, wedding, bombing, female protagonist, military, evacuation, anniversary, danger, couples, society, teenager, nazi, holocaust, art, gory, humanity, adaptation, world war, painting, bomber, cooking, marriage, dog
Frantz (2016)
Plot Summary:
In the aftermath of WWI, a young German who grieves the death of her fiancé in France meets a mysterious French man who visits the fiance’s grave to lay flowers
Duration: 113 min
IMDB Rating: 7.5/10
IMDB Votes: 17000
Genere: Drama, History, Romance, War
Country: France, Germany
Plot tags: world war one, guilty conscience, german soldier, french soldier, grave, nationalism, war veteran, sadness, death of loved one, casualty of war, mourning, soldier, post war, hotel, grief, friendship, happiness, lie, liar, world war one veteran, death of fiance, violinist, loss of son, life turned upside down, dancing
13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi (2016)
Plot Summary:
An American Ambassador is killed during an attack at a U.S. compound in Libya as a security team struggles to make sense out of the chaos
Duration: 144 min
IMDB Rating: 7.3/10
IMDB Votes: 157000
Genere: Action, Drama, History, Thriller, War
Country: USA, Malta, Morocco
Plot tags: war, cia, terrorism, swat team, rescue mission, mercenary, navy seal, courage, military, gunfight, commando, combat, battlefield, u.s. embassy, american abroad, embassy, politics, mission, cia agent, u.s. marine, soldier, heroism, brutality, survival, siege
Anthropoid (2016)
Plot Summary:
In December 1941, Czech soldier Jozef Gabčík and Jan Kubiš parachute into their occupied homeland to assassinate Nazi officer Reinhard Heydrich
Duration: 120 min
IMDB Rating: 7.2/10
IMDB Votes: 53000
Genere: Action, Biography, Drama, History, Romance, Thriller, War
Country: UK, France, USA, Czech Republic
Plot tags: nazi, world war two, assassination, gestapo, nazi occupation, conspiracy, torture, friendship between men, suspicion, holocaust, ss, third reich, repression, war, brutality, betrayal, murderer, fascist, death, chase, wartime, world war, resistance fighter, resistance movement, european history
The Siege of Jadotville (2016)
Plot Summary:
Irish Commandant Pat Quinlan leads a stand off with troops against French and Belgian Mercenaries in the Congo during in the early 1960s
Duration: 108 min
IMDB Rating: 7.2/10
IMDB Votes: 43000
Genere: Action, Drama, History, Thriller, War
Country: Ireland, South Africa
Plot tags: civil war, war, conflict, military, courage, politics, ethnic conflict, fight scenes, betrayal, survival, murder, conspiracy, justice, propaganda, stranded, storytelling, assassination, mercenary, revolution, un, great war, combat, world war two, holocaust, past
War Dogs (2016)
Plot Summary:
Based on the true story of two young men, David Packouz and Efraim Diveroli, who won a $300 million contract from the Pentagon to arm America's allies in Afghanistan
Duration: 114 min
IMDB Rating: 7.1/10
IMDB Votes: 245000
Genere: Biography, Comedy, Crime, Drama, War
Country: USA, Romania
Plot tags: corruption, arms dealer, friendship, rise and fall, smuggling, gunrunner, military, fraud, betrayal, drug, business, heist, kidnapping, organized crime, weapons, politics, honest, border guard, smuggler, lie, marketing, war, conspiracy, greed, real life
Allied (2016)
Plot Summary:
In 1942, an intelligence officer in North Africa encounters a female French Resistance fighter on a deadly mission behind enemy lines. When they reunite in London, their relationship is tested by the pressures of war
Duration: 124 min
IMDB Rating: 7.1/10
IMDB Votes: 166000
Genere: Action, Drama, History, Romance, Thriller, War
Country: UK, USA
Plot tags: world war two, spy, nazi, female agent, double agent, espionage, love, betrayal, war, danger, husband wife relationship, moral dilemma, race against time, british secret service, female spy, secret service, military, assassination, resistance, prospector, secret mission, wartime, mission, surveillance, soldier
The King's Choice (2016)
Plot Summary:
On 9 April 1940, German soldiers arrive in the city of Oslo. The King of Norway faces a choice that will change his country forever. The King's Choice is a story about the three most dramatic days in Norway's history, the royal family's escape and King Haakon's difficult choice after Nazi Germany's invasion of Norway
Duration: 133 min
IMDB Rating: 7.1/10
IMDB Votes: 10000
Genere: Biography, Drama, History, War
Country: Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Ireland
Plot tags: world war two, royal family, invasion, wehrmacht, evacuation, german occupation, democracy, king, hitler, crown prince, young soldier, nazi, world war, nazi germany, father son relationship, prime minister, grandfather grandson relationship, roadblock, parliament, war, royalty, nordic, holocaust, totalitarian state, air raid
Free State of Jones (2016)
Plot Summary:
In 1863, Mississippi farmer Newt Knight serves as a medic for the Confederate Army. Opposed to slavery, Knight would rather help the wounded than fight the Union. After his nephew dies in battle, Newt returns home to Jones County to safeguard his family but is soon branded an outlaw deserter. Forced to flee, he finds refuge with a group of runaway slaves hiding out in the swamps. Forging an alliance with the slaves and other farmers, Knight leads a rebellion that would forever change history
Duration: 139 min
IMDB Rating: 6.9/10
IMDB Votes: 61000
Genere: Action, Biography, Drama, History, War, Western
Country: USA, China
Plot tags: american civil war, slavery, civil war, revolution, justice, u.s. civil war, racism, rebellion, wartime, courage, vengeance, society, black, revenge, segregation, social commentary, biopic, slave, war, american history, african american, military, civil rights, black man, black history
The Exception (2016)
Plot Summary:
A German soldier tries to determine if the Dutch resistance has planted a spy to infiltrate the home of Kaiser Wilhelm in Holland during the onset of World War II, but falls for a young Jewish Dutch woman during his investigation
Duration: 107 min
IMDB Rating: 6.8/10
IMDB Votes: 15000
Genere: Drama, Romance, War
Country: UK, USA, Germany, Belgium
Plot tags: world war two, nazi germany, gestapo, nazi officer, german soldier, nazi, nazi occupation, espionage, royalty, conspiracy, spy, german army, resistance, sex scene, love, third reich, investigation, saving a life, military, british secret service, bodyguard, assassination attempt, resistance fighter, nazism, female secret agent
Under the Shadow (2016)
Plot Summary:
As a mother and daughter struggle to cope with the terrors of the post-revolution, war torn Tehran of the 80s, a mysterious evil begins to haunt their home
Duration: 84 min
IMDB Rating: 6.8/10
IMDB Votes: 30000
Genere: Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Thriller, War
Country: UK, Jordan, Qatar, Iran
Plot tags: supernatural, brutality, danger, war, ghost, supernatural power, mother daughter relationship, djinn, haunted house, paranormal, paranormal activity, female warrior, military, terror, supernatural horror, haunted, iranian, haunting, teenager, children, devil, women, lgbt, mother, feminism
Their Finest (2016)
Plot Summary:
During the Blitz of World War II, a female screenwriter (Gemma Arterton) works on a film celebrating England's resilience as a way to buoy a weary populace's spirits. Her efforts to dramatise the true story of two sisters (Lily Knight and Francesca Knight) who undertook their own maritime mission to rescue wounded soldiers are met with mixed feelings by a dismissive all-male staff
Duration: 117 min
IMDB Rating: 6.8/10
IMDB Votes: 21000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Romance, War
Country: UK, Sweden, France
Plot tags: world war two, filmmaking, war propaganda, screenwriter, bomb shelter, world war, friendship, lie, war, writers, feminism, woman, nazi, world war one, women, holocaust, cold war, nazi germany, job, strength, backstage, gadget, filmmaker, wartime life, empowerment
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (2016)
Plot Summary:
In 2002, cable news producer Kim Barker decides to shake up her routine by taking a daring new assignment in Kabul, Afghanistan. Dislodged from her comfortable American lifestyle, Barker finds herself in the middle of an out-of-control war zone. Luckily, she meets Tanya Vanderpoel, a fellow journalist who takes the shell-shocked reporter under her wing. Amid the militants, warlords and nighttime partying, Barker discovers the key to becoming a successful correspondent
Duration: 112 min
IMDB Rating: 6.6/10
IMDB Votes: 55000
Genere: Biography, Comedy, Drama, War
Country: USA
Plot tags: journalism, journalist, war, wartime, mentor, survival, soldier, rescue, storytelling, kidnapping, rescue mission, battles, interview, disguise, 9/11, exodus, international law, war in afghanistan, betrayal, war on terror, culture clash, strong female lead, women, writers, hunter
Alone in Berlin (2016)
Plot Summary:
Berlin in June of 1940. While Nazi propaganda celebrates the regime’s victory over France, a kitchen-cum-living room in Prenzlauer Berg is filled with grief. Anna and Otto Quangel’s son has been killed at the front. This working class couple had long believed in the ‘Führer’ and followed him willingly, but now they realise that his promises are nothing but lies and deceit. They begin writing postcards as a form of resistance and in a bid to raise awareness: Stop the war machine! Kill Hitler! Putting their lives at risk, they distribute these cards in the entrances of tenement buildings and in stairwells. But the SS and the Gestapo are soon onto them, and even their neighbours pose a threat
Duration: 103 min
IMDB Rating: 6.5/10
IMDB Votes: 10000
Genere: Drama, History, War
Country: UK, France, Germany
Plot tags: nazi germany, gestapo, world war two, war, nazi, suicide, death of son, holocaust, world war, murder, violence, torture, robbery, mechanic, bereavement, wartime, death, life & death, death of child, death in the family, christmas, women, military, intrigue, revolution
Imperium (2016)
Plot Summary:
Nate Foster, a young, idealistic FBI agent, goes undercover to take down a radical white supremacy terrorist group. The bright up-and-coming analyst must confront the challenge of sticking to a new identity while maintaining his real principles as he navigates the dangerous underworld of white supremacy. Inspired by real events
Duration: 109 min
IMDB Rating: 6.5/10
IMDB Votes: 49000
Genere: Biography, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller, War
Country: USA
Plot tags: skinhead, neo nazi, racism, terrorism, fbi, organized crime, gangster, fascism, gang, investigation, politics, genocide, conspiracy, prejudice, paranoia, undercover, brutality, courage, mentor, anti fascist, conspiracy theory, corruption, secrets, fbi agent, racist
Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk (2016)
Plot Summary:
19-year-old Billy Lynn is brought home for a victory tour after a harrowing Iraq battle. Through flashbacks the film shows what really happened to his squad - contrasting the realities of war with America's perceptions
Duration: 113 min
IMDB Rating: 6.2/10
IMDB Votes: 24000
Genere: Action, Drama, Sport, Thriller, War
Country: UK, China, USA, Taiwan
Plot tags: post traumatic stress disorder, american football, iraq war, flashback, thanksgiving, cheerleader, military, soldier, mission, war veteran, patriotism, war on terror, hostile takeover, heroism, male camaraderie, kidnapping, christian, war, 9/11, justice league, jihad, aftermath, worship, secret mission, military operation
The Promise (2016)
Plot Summary:
Set during the last days of the Ottoman Empire, a love triangle develops between Mikael, a brilliant medical student, the beautiful and sophisticated artist Ana, and Chris, a renowned American journalist based in Paris
Duration: 133 min
IMDB Rating: 6.1/10
IMDB Votes: 178000
Genere: Action, Adventure, Drama, War
Country: Spain, USA
Plot tags: armenian genocide, love triangle, world war one, genocide, true love, wedding, orphanage, tragic love, family relations, love affair, boyfriend girlfriend relationship, war, survival, friendly fire, mass murder, forbidden love, running for your life, survival horror, rescue mission, exodus, unlikely relationship, journalist, world war two, time travel, military
Mine (2016)
Plot Summary:
After a failed assassination attempt, a soldier finds himself stranded in the desert. Exposed to the elements, he must survive the dangers of the desert and battle the psychological and physical toll of the treacherous conditions
Duration: 106 min
IMDB Rating: 5.8/10
IMDB Votes: 21000
Genere: Drama, Fantasy, Thriller, War
Country: USA, Spain, Italy
Plot tags: survival, hallucination, desert, u.s. marine, landmine, soldier, stranded, parent child relationship, war, military, father son relationship, wilderness, wilderness survival, war in afghanistan, karate, holocaust, faith, war zone, plot twist, military operation, perseverance, war on terror, minefield, bar fight, sleep deprivation
USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage (2016)
Plot Summary:
The harrowing true story of the crew of the USS Indianapolis, who were stranded in the Philippine Sea for five days after delivering the atomic weapons that would eventually end WWII. As they awaited rescue, they endured extreme thirst, hunger, and relentless shark attacks
Duration: 128 min
IMDB Rating: 5.3/10
IMDB Votes: 14000
Genere: Action, Drama, History, Thriller, War
Country: USA
Plot tags: world war two, warship, u.s. navy, sea, ocean, survival, shark, war, military, submarine, rescue, world war, stranded, disobeying orders, tragedy, disaster, danger, moral dilemma, top secret, tragic event, male camaraderie, trial, real life, mass death, friendly fire
AmeriGeddon (2016)
Plot Summary:
A dire warning of a wake up call of what might be our future when a globalist terrorist organization aligned with the United Nations disables the United States power grid and institutes Martial Law. It will take a dedicated family of patriots armed with strong survival skills and the remains of the Second Amendment to save America and reclaim its freedom
Duration: 90 min
IMDB Rating: 3.8/10
IMDB Votes: 13000
Genere: Action, Adventure, Drama, Thriller, War, Western
Country: USA
Plot tags: terrorism, martial law, government, soldier, conspiracy, patriotism, patriot, father daughter relationship, politician, freedom, post apocalypse, government conspiracy, military officer, military base, apocalypse, epidemic, college student, lieutenant, un, dystopia, helicopter, christian, distopia, explosion, exploding car